The Orange Bowl matchup is set. What to know about the teams playing in the semifinal
The Orange Bowl matchup is set.
The Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-1) will play at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday in a College Football Playoff semifinal, with a spot in the national championship at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 20 on the line.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., with the game televised on ESPN.
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
How did each team get here?
Penn State, the No. 6 seed in the playoffs, went 11-2 in the regular season with its two losses both coming to teams who also made the postseason field in Ohio State and Oregon, the latter coming in the Big Ten Championship Game.
The Nittany Lions beat No. 11 SMU 38-10 in their first-round matchup on Dec. 21 and No. 3 Boise State 31-14 in the Fiesta Bowl to advance to the semifinals.
Notre Dame, the No. 7 seed in the field, went 11-1 in the regular season, with its lone loss coming to Northern Illinois in Week 2. The Fighting Irish then closed the regular season on a 10-game win streak, outscoring opponents by an average of 25.8 points.
Notre Dame then went on to beat No. 10 Indiana 27-17 in its first-round matchup on Dec. 20 and No. 2 Georgia 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday.
How often has each team played in the Orange Bowl?
Penn State is playing in the Orange Bowl for the sixth time and the first time since 2006. The Nittany Lions are 4-1 all-time in the game.
While Notre Dame’s most recent postseason game in Miami was the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, it hasn’t been in a game affiliated with the Orange Bowl since 1996. The Fighting Irish, like Penn State, have previously played in five Orange Bowl games. Notre Dame’s all-time record in the bowl: 2-3.
What are the teams’ history against each other?
Notre Dame and Penn State have played 19 times, with the series split 9-9-1 all-time.
The last time they played was Sept. 8, 2007, a 31-10 Penn State win.
History will be made
The Orange Bowl matchup ensures that a Black coach — either Penn State’s James Franklin or Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman — will play for the national title for the first time.
“It’s a reminder that you are a representation for many others and many of our players that look the same way I do,” Freeman said. “Your color shouldn’t matter. The evidence of your work should, but it takes everybody and that’s what I continue to remind myself. When people will try to point the finger at you, it’s a great reminder of you’re not in this position without everybody, without all these guys. And that’s what I told them in the locker room. I couldn’t get off that stage fast enough because everybody couldn’t be up there. It’s about the team. It’s about everybody that puts everything they have into making sure that we can achieve that success. And so, it’s a great honor. It’s a privilege. But again, as the head coach of this place, I understand we’re not in this position unless everybody in this program gets their job done.”
Penn State players to watch
▪ Defensive lineman Abdul Carter: The junior was a unanimous All-American this season. He has recorded 21.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks to go along with two forced fumbles and three pass breakups to lead the Nittany Lions’ work up front. However, he missed most of the Fiesta Bowl with an apparent arm injury, so his status is something to monitor throughout the week.
▪ Tight end Tyler Warren: The senior has been one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the country this season. He has 98 catches for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns entering the Orange Bowl.
▪ Running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton: The juniors give Penn State a formidable one-two punch in the backfield. They have combined for 2,041 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on the season.
Notre Dame players to watch
▪ Safety Xavier Watts: The senior was a consensus All-American after leading the Fighting Irish and ranking tied for second nationally with six interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Watts also has 66 tackles, two-and-a-half tackles for loss, one forced fumble and nine pass breakups on the season.
▪ Quarterback Riley Leonard: The senior has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 2,383 yards and 18 touchdowns against six interceptions while also running for 831 yards and another 15 touchdowns.
▪ Wide receiver Jordan Faison: While not Notre Dame’s top playmaker, the sophomore is a South Florida product, having been a two-sport standout (football and lacrosse) at Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest before going to Notre Dame. This season, Faison has caught 27 passes for 325 yards, with 11 of those catches and 135 of those yards coming in Notre Dame’s two playoff games.
Who would the Orange Bowl winner play in the national championship?
The winner of the Orange Bowl will face the winner of the Cotton Bowl matchup between the No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns and No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes for the national title.
The Cotton Bowl will be played on Jan. 10 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Ten days later, a national champion will be crowned in Atlanta.